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NBA D-League Update

February 10, 2012 - NBA G League (G League) News Release


HOUSTON, WE HAVE A CENTER

It's been a busy week for Greg Smith, though he really hasn't traveled very far.

On Wednesday, he was signed by the Houston Rockets from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, becoming the 21st Gatorade Call-Up of the 2011-12 NBA Development League season. Recently named an NBA D-League All-Star, Smith appeared in 18 games with the Vipers this season, averaging 16.8 points and 8.3 rebounds. He recorded seven double-doubles, including a season-high 28 points to go with 13 rebounds in a 125-120 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Jan. 17.

On Thursday, Houston turned right back around and assigned Smith back to Rio Grande Valley, which is owned and operated by the Rockets, who enjoy a single-affiliate relationship with the Vipers.

Smith, who was in training camp with the Rockets, has many of the physical traits you look for in an NBA big man. He's huge (6-10, 250), fairly mobile and coordinated, has huge hands, and can play with his back to the basket. For these reasons, many felt he'd be drafted in 2011, after two seasons at Fresno State.

When you take a closer look at Smith, you notice he's not a great rebounder at this stage. He occasionally lacks focus defensively. He doesn't always play with great energy and intensity. He's very much a work in progress, but given his age (he turned 21 on Jan.8), there's time and room for improvement.

"Greg's been playing really well down in the D-League," Rockets coach Kevin McHale told the Houston Chronicle. "We liked him in training camp. I think he's got a bright future."

To make room for Smith on the roster, the Rockets were forced to waive Jeff Adrien, the 2010-11 NBA D-League Impact Player of the Year with the Vipers. Adrien appeared in eight games with the Rockets this season, averaging 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds. In 2010-11, he averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 23 games with the Golden State Warriors.

PROSPECT REPORT

Xavier Silas, Maine Red Claws -- An ankle injury kept Silas from participating in the 2011 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament following a brilliant senior season at Northern Illinois, in which he finished seventh in the nation in scoring (22.3 ppg). It also limited his ability to go full throttle in workouts for teams prior to the 2011 NBA Draft. So, it didn't come as a surprise when Silas went undrafted. Five minutes after the conclusion of the draft, his agent got a call from the Philadelphia 76ers, who were interested in bringing him in. Due to the NBA lockout, Silas was unable to have the benefit of a summer league, but the Sixers still invited him to training camp in December, where he impressed, but didn't make the opening night roster. An average athlete by NBA standards, Silas is proficient scorer and has a nice overall feel for the game. He's also an exceptionally hard worker by all accounts, including Doug Collins, who grew fond of Silas in a short period of time. Silas also has good blood lines. His father, James Silas, had a 10-year pro career, split between the ABA and NBA.

NEWS & NOTES

Rio Grande Valley's Ben Uzoh Signs with Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers today signed guard Ben Uzoh of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for the 22nd GATORADE Call-Up of the 2011-12 NBA Development League season. Uzoh joins more than 90 NBA players with NBA D-League experience currently on 2011-12 rosters. In 12 games (all starts), Uzoh has averaged 16.8 points on .525 shooting, 6.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 34.4 minutes per game with the Vipers. The 6-3, 205-pound point guard was named the NBA D-League Performer of the Week for games played Jan. 16-22 after averaging 22.3 points on .651 shooting, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds in 37.0 minutes and leading Rio Grande Valley to a perfect 3-0 week. He scored a season-high 31 points to go with 10 assists for his first double-double of the season in a 116-104 road win over the Reno Bighorns on Jan. 21. The 23-year-old from Tulsa spent the 2010-11 season with the New Jersey Nets, playing in 42 games and posting averages of 3.8 points on .424 shooting, 1.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 10.4 minutes per game. More

Sixth Annual NBA D-League All-Star Game, Presented by 26 Seconds

Twenty of the NBA Development League's top prospects, including eight who have NBA experience, have been chosen to play in the sixth annual NBA D-League All-Star Game Presented by 26 Seconds on Saturday, Feb. 25, on Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session. The game will air live on NBA TV at 2 p.m. ET. Chosen to the NBA D-League All-Star West Team are Justin Dentmon and Lance Thomas (Austin Toros), currently a member of the New Orleans Hornets; Brandon Costner, Gerald Green, and Elijah Millsap (Los Angeles D-Fenders); Blake Ahearn and Andre Emmett (Reno Bighorns); Greg Smith (Rio Grande Valley Vipers); and Jerome Dyson and Marcus Lewis (Tulsa 66ers). Selected to the NBA D-League All-Star East Team, playing host to the West Team in Orlando, are Tyrell Biggs (Canton Charge); Edwin Ubiles (Dakota Wizards); Keith McLeod (Erie BayHawks); Darnell Lazare and Walker Russell, Jr. (Fort Wayne Mad Ants), currently a member of the Detroit Pistons; Marqus Blakely (Iowa Energy); Charles Garcia (Sioux Falls Skyforce); and JamesOn Curry, Jeff Foote, and Jerry Smith (Springfield Armor). More

Erie's Donald Sloan Signs with New Orleans Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets have signed guard Donald Sloan of the Erie BayHawks for the 20th GATORADE Call-Up of the 2011-12 NBA Development League season. The Call-Up is the second this season for Sloan, who signed with the Atlanta Hawks in December 2011. He joins more than 90 NBA players with NBA D-League experience currently on 2011-12 rosters. Sloan (6-3, 205, Texas A&M) returns to the NBA having appeared in five games with the Hawks this season, averaging 1.2 points, 1.0 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 4.0 minutes. In five games for the BayHawks this season, Sloan averaged 24.8 points, 8.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds in 40.6 minutes. More

AROUND THE D-LEAGUE

The Iowa Energy has traded Marqus Blakely to the Sioux Falls Skyforce in exchange for Patrick Ewing Jr., it was announced yesterday. Blakely averaged 13.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 14 games with the Energy. Ewing averaged 9.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 11 games with Sioux Falls this season ... The NBA Development League announced that Charles Garcia of the Sioux Falls Skyforce has been suspended without pay for five games for violating the terms of the NBA D-League's anti-drug policy. Garcia's suspension will begin when the Skyforce host the Idaho Stampede on Friday, Feb. 10 ... The Austin Toros have reacquired forward Eric Dawson . Dawson will make the trip with the team to Rio Grande Valley for back to back games on Friday and Saturday at State Farm Arena in McAllen, Texas. Omar Reed was waived as a result. Dawson's history with the Toros dates back to his first NBA D-League season in 2007-08. Most recently, Dawson (6-9, 250, Midwestern) started in 11 of 13 games played this season, averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS

Cleveland's Alonzo Gee scored 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting in 28 minutes in a loss to the Toronto Raptors last night. Not drafted by an NBA franchise in 2009, Gee signed with the Austin Toros, and was named the 2009-10 NBA D-League Rookie of the Year, averaging 21.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in 36 games with the Toros. After spending time with the Washington Wizards and San Antonio Spurs at the end of the 2009-10 season, Gee was signed by the Cavaliers in December 2010, and went on to average 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 40 games.-->

GATORADE CALL-UP BOARD

Boston's Ray Allen needs 28 threes to pass Reggie Miller (2,560) for first on the all-time list ... Boston's Kevin Garnett needs 60 rebounds to pass Charles Barkley (12,546) for 16th on the all-time list ... The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant needs 52 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) for eighth on the all-time list. Bryant needs seven steals to pass Rod Strickland (1,616) for 22nd on the all-time list.

ASSIGNMENT BOARD

NBA Players Currently on Assignment in the NBA D-League:

Player NBA Team NBA D-League Team Assignment Date G PPG RPG APG

Hassan Whiteside Sacramento Reno 11/29/10 7 5.1 3.2 0.1

DeMarre Carroll Memphis Dakota 12/14/10 6 35.7 18.3 6.8

Pape Sy Atlanta Utah 12/27/10 6 24.0 5.5 5.0

Devin Ebanks L.A. Lakers Bakersfield 12/27/10 6 26.5 12.0 8.0

Garret Siler Phoenix Iowa 1/4/10 16.0 4.0 7.0

Cole Aldrich Oklahoma City Tulsa 12/30/10 28.8 7.3 8.1

Today's Quote

BEN UZOH, on being called-up by the Cleveland Cavaliers: "It's a unique time. There are a lot of different changes, a lot of domino effects. Contracts are getting guaranteed in the NBA and guys in the D-League are getting opportunities. But, at the same time, what's going through my mind is the opportunity to keep developing, to keep grooming myself." The Monitor, Feb. 10, 2012

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